Thing I Wish I Would Have Known Before Getting a Dog

I stand by my previous statement that Sophie was the best/worst birthday present. So, I’m sharing all the things I wish I would have known before getting a dog. And lots and lots of Sophie photos for all you dog lovers. 🙂

Cost

Not only is there dog food and vet bills, there’s heart guard, allergy pills, frontline, arthritis pills, fish oil, poop bags, grooming, and all the toys and treats we buy her. Her favorite toy is this dragon, she has two.

Leaving Them

Even if it’s just to go upstairs, I feel bad leaving Sophie. (She hasn’t figured out the steep stairs at the new house.) When I’m upstairs, she waits at the base of the stairs, often crying. Going on vacation is even harder! It’s not uncommon for us to say “I wonder what Sophie is doing right now?” while we’re on vacation. This usually follows with FaceTiming Nolan’s dad (our resident dog-sitter) so we can “talk” to her. I’m gagging at how cheesy and TRUE that is.

All The Nicknames

I hate baby-talk and dumb nicknames that people give their S.O.s and before getting a dog I didn’t understand how you give an animal so many nicknames. Rest assured that all changed, and now we call Sophie all sorts of names, including Soph, Soph-Boph, Ping, Snoph, Sophie-Bophie, Ping, Thing. Yes, sometimes we call her “thing”. Don’t ask.

Training Is Hard

Nolan and I have never trained a dog, so when it came to Sophie we had no idea what we were doing. Before getting a dog I’d strongly suggest researching which breeds require the most/least training. We ended up sending her to a doggie bootcamp, which was a pretty penny, but well worth it. She even made it on YouTube! She hasn’t retained all the training, but all the parts that matter. (Paper towels don’t matter.)

Before Getting A Dog

Lastly, before getting a dog, know that they’ll become your best friend. She doesn’t care if there’s wallpaper on the walls or if you have a pink bathroom; they will love you unconditionally, and are always happy to see you when you walk through the door at the end of the day. Or in my case it’s leave the home office at the end of the day.